The Boost gauge uses a stand-alone sender that incorporates electronics to provide temperature compensation and self-calibration. Each time the ignition is switched on the gauge runs a routine where the needle drops to the peg then goes back up to zero. This allows a zero reference regardless of air temperature or atmospheric pressure. The gauge also has a small red light that is activated when a preset boost pressure is reached. There are a couple of small buttons to set the warning and peak boost.
The Temperature gauge also uses a sender, eliminating any oil coming into the cabin and to the gauge.
We followed the lead of several NASIOC members by modifying the factory Subaru center gauge pod to mount the gauges (Ordered from subaruwrxparts.com). There is certainly an amount of handwork involved, constructing an aluminum face plate, grounding the clearances on the pod for the gauges and building an electrical harness. We also fabricated a bracket to mount the boost sender and drilled out an oil drain plug for 1/8 NPT to mount the oil temperature sender, (Even with a drill press that is a PITA).
Overall we were very satisfied with the end result, it is a lot of fun having the boost warning and peak boost features. The self-calibration feature gives a little more confidence in the accuracy of what we are reading and if we ever can get a hold of a calibrated pressure source we will find out how accurate it is. It is also reassuring to see what the oil temperature is when flogging the car hard. One thing we have learned is that it takes the engine a lot longer to warm up than the dashboard water temperature gauge shows, (The water gauge moves up to operating temp. in about 5 minutes, the oil gauge takes about twice that long).
1/29/03 Copyright 2003, skoshiracing